Nutrien donates $4 million to STARS to establish home base in Saskatoon

STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service) is renewing its partnership with Saskatoon-based fertilizer company Nutrien.

Nutrien is providing STARS with an additional $4 million to go along with the $27 million it previously donated to establish a home base in Saskatoon.

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“I think that our ability to get out and provide this level of care to people in this province – where perhaps they might not get it otherwise – is a game-changer,” said John Froh, President and CEO of STARS.

“Through the support of partners like Nutrien and the Government of Saskatchewan, we’ve been able to do that as well as support from every other donor across the province.”As someone from Fort Qu’Appelle, Froh said that he understands the importance of getting emergency medical care to people in rural areas.

STARS says it has enabled 10,000 life-saving missions since 2012 – including 921 in 2025.

“We are one link in the chain of survival, but we’re an important link and it’s very important to be recognized with support from our partners both in industry and individuals and in government – because it truly saves lives,” Froh said.

The STARS CEO added that the money would go toward day-to-day operations and things like training, readiness, and advances in technology and clinical care.

Froh said STARS’ Regina location was able to become the first air medical service to offer on-board blood storage due to donations like the one from Nutrien.

He said the cost to run a base is about $12.5 million.

“I, too, am from rural Saskatchewan, not far from Fort Qu’Appelle, actually, where Dr. Froh grew up. I too, have seen firsthand some of the challenges with distance to health care, when bad things happen,” said Nutrien CEO Ken Seitz.

“To have STARS and the impact STARS has made … (it’s) sort of the fabric and lifeblood of rural communities here in Saskatchewan.”

Adair O’Grady credits STARS for helping to save his life. He was severely injured after accidentally being hit by a service truck while out farming in 2015.

“I don’t know if I’d be here today with them. Thanks, Ian (O’Gady’s friend), thanks, STARS, thank you, Nutrien for being a part of this as well and supporting them and seeing their vision in this,” O’Grady said.

“It’s been a journey like no other. After I had recuperated, I wanted to come in and say thank you to the STARS group.”

— With files from 980 CJME’s Daniel Reech and Mia Holowaychuk